Despite losses, Lady Tigers battle it out at Valley of Thunder

AID — The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers faced a tall order on Saturday but they didn’t shrink down.

Ironton faced one Division 1 pitching commit and a possible second top prospect as they dropped a pair of games at the annual 26th Valley of Thunder softball showcase, but the Lady Fighting Tigers battled from start to finish.

Both the Chillicothe Lady Cavaliers (10-0) and the Kenton Ridge Lady Cougars (8-0) are unbeaten on the season.

But Ironton (3-4) lost just 6-0 to the Chillicothe and Akron pitching commit C.J. Rittinger who threw a two-hitter. She struck out 11 and did not walk a batter.

Cadie Boltenhose hit a three-run home run in the first inning that gave the Lady Cavaliers a 3-0 lead.

Layla Townsend and Braegan Thomas each went 1-3 for Ironton’s hits.

Second Game

Ironton 000  000  0  =  0  2  2

Chillicothe 300  030  x  =  6  6  1

C.J.Rittinger and Bri Cousins. Ava Bihl, Layla Townsend (2) and Jenna Compliment. W-Ritinger (IP-7.0, H-2, R-0, K-11, BB-0.) L-Bihl (IP-0.1, H-2, R-3, ER-3, K-0, BB-1). Townsend (IP-5.2, H-4, R-3, ER-2, K-8, BB-4). Hitting–Chillicothe: C.J. Rittiner 1-3, Vivian Morgan 1-4 RBI, Isabella Witte 1-4, Cadie Boltenhouse 2-3 HR 3-RBI, Josie Huddleston 1-2; Ironton: Layla Townsend 1-3, Braegan Thomas 1-3.

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KENTON RIDGE 11, IRONTON 2

The first game came against the defending Division 4 state champions who featured seven potential Division 1 players.

The Lady Cougars catcher Brenna Fyffe is headed for Ohio University while sophomore pitcher Ivee Rastatter has not committed yet.

Rastatter gave up five Ironton hits and five earned run. She struck out 17 and walked two.

Ava Bihl went the distance for Ironton as she gave up just seven hits, 11 runs but only five were earned, and she had nine strikeouts and five walks.

Both teams got a run in the first inning and neither team could score again until the Lady Cougars scored 3 runs in the fifth inning.

Braegan Thomas, Miley Bias, Kenley Neal, Olivia Wilson and Jenna Compliment all went 1-3 for Ironton.

First Game

Kenton Ridge 100  032  5  =  11  7  3

Ironton 100  000  1  =  2  5  3

Ivee Rastatter and Brenna Fyffe. Ava Bihl and Jenna Compliment. W-Rastatter (IP-7.0, H-5, R-2, ER-0, K-17, BB-2). L-Bihl (IP-7.0, H-7, R-11, ER-5, K-9, BB-5). Hitting–Kenton Ridge: Brenna Fyffe 1-4 2B, J.J. Davis 3-4 2B HR 4-RBI, Ivee Rastatter 2-4 2B 2-RBI, Kendall Glass 1-2 2-RBI, Rylie Zimmerman RBI; Ironton–Braegan Thomas 1-3, Miley Bias 1-3, Kenley Neal 1-3 RBI, Olivia Wilson 1-3, Jenna Compliment 1-3.